Orthopedic appliance



May 4 1926. I

J. A. ROUNTREE ORTHOPEDIC APPLIANCE Filed Nov. 10, 1921 Sn w, I

Patented Paley 1925i.

1 Barentosaic;

ere aeere se r st rrb s i rt s w e w are e mww- Application filed. November 10,1921. Serial 110,514,231.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I I, Josnrr-rmn ALMA Rounrnnn, citizen of the United States, residing at Foreman, in the co-untyiof Little 5 River and State of'Arlransas, have invented "certain new and useful Improvements in an ()rthopedic Appliance, of Which the followingis specification.

My invention relates to orthopedic. aplo pliances and has particular'reference roan appliance adapted to be Worn'by the user, after retiring; whereby certain facial muscles will be trained to gradually produce the permanent effect of a smile on the countenance o'i' the erson using the appliance." The primary object of the inventionis toproduee such an effect and to counteract the sagging of the muscles around the corners of the mouth, due in most cases to advanc ing years.

Another object of the invention is to providean appliance which will gradually train the muscles at the corners crate mouth into the position assumed by the act of smiling, Without inconvenience to the user.

A further object is the provision of such an appliance that may be readily applied and worn, and which is simple in construction and most efficient in operation, the appliance being adjustable to suit individual requirements.

lVith these and such other objects in view as will be apparent from-the description, my invention resides in the novel, construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, of which; V

Figure 1 is a View illustrating my invention as applied same, and Y 'Figure 2, a detail elevation of the device.

The appliance in detail comprises a pair of members 1 and 2 Which are made in rights and lefts. Inasmuch as in their construction, these members areexactly the reverse of one another, a description of one Will suihce for both.

Each member is composed of a strip of composition material, such as a celluloid compound or the like, bent upon itself at.

substantially thecenter to providean enlarged loop 3. At the open end of the loop the strip is again bent upon itself to pro vide arms 4 and 5, one of which as at 4 is doubled upon the adjacent portion of the disposed about the'lmiddle of the forehead,

and Worn by a person using loop in slightly spaced relation and then curved outwardly therefrom, endingi in a terminal eye 6 Which is disposed appreciably I 7 beyond .the head of the loop 3 and sub'-- e0 'st'antially in alignment, With the center of;

the .loop head. The arm' ais doubled upon] itself in slightly spaced relation at the adjaicent end-of the loop 3 and is extended divergently therefroimand from the arm/l, terminating inan eye 7 formed by bending the terminal portion of the arnrupOnitself as will be understood. Y Y

The. disposition of the, armsis suchthat these arms a and 5v and the terminal eye,"

'6 and eye?- wvill'lie in a common plane, .Which. roughly parallels the plane of the loop 3, and in slightly spacedrelation therefrom.- Thetwo members Land 2111K} car; ried by tape straps 8 fastened to the ter,- ,75 minal eyes 6 at one end, and-at. their opposite endsto the center of av supporting tape 9 adapted to encircle the head of the 1 user, whereby the,centralportion will be as clearly illustrated in Figure 1. Tape straps'lO connect the eyes 7 With the tape 9 at points which. Will'cover approximately the temples of the user. i I In operation, the loops 3 areinserted between the lips andfthe teeth, at each corner of the mouth, with the high points, comprising the terminal eyes 6 towards the nostrils. The loops 3 are then slanted upwardly in the corners of the mouth, and the tape 9 is fastened at the back of the head, the degree of tightening of the'tape, determining the adjustment of the members. The various parts are so arranged that the corners of the mouth Will be supported in a slightly upturned position, which is the p0sition assumed in the act of smiling, and by consistent use of the appliance the muscles at the corners of the mouth Will be trained into the position productive of the effect of 100 aeter described comprising a pair throughout the night. lVhile I have described and illustrated certain details and materials which enter into the construction and operation of my invention, I desire it to be understood that I do not intend to limit myself to these, but that any such may pullon said members to hold certain facial muscles under slight distortion.

2. An orthopedic appliance of the char acter described comprising a pair of hook members adapted to engage the corners of 'the mouth, a pair of tapes for each hook member extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom, and a head band supported on the head of the user and connecting said tapes to normally hold'the same under slight tension.

3. An orthopedic appliance of the character described, comprising a strip of material bent upon itself at substantially its center to form an enlarged loop, the ends of the strip being bent backwardly upon the loop in spaced relation and formed with terminal eyes, and supporting tape disposed 1n said eyes for supporting said strip on the head of a user with the loop engaged in a corner of the mouth. I

4. An orthopedic appliance of the character deserioed, comprising a strip of composition material bent upon itself at substantially its center to form an enlarged loop, the ends of the strip being bent upon the loop at the open end thereof to parallel said loop in slightly spaced relation, eyes on the ends of said strip, and a supporting tape arranged in said eyes for supporting said strip on the head of a userwith the loop engaged in a corner of the mouth and the strip ends outwardly of the lips.

5. In an orthopedic appliance of the character described a strip of material bent up on itself substantially at its center to form two arms, one of said arms being adapted to\ be inserted in the mouth at the corner there of, the end 01 the other arm being angularly disposed with respect to said bend and having a terminal loop thereon, and said other aim being disposed outside of the mouth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOSEPHINE ALMA ROUNTBEE. 

